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How is God defined in scripture (Bible) and other religions books.
Is He loving,feared, takes sides, trustworthy,...who is He. What is It/He/She? Does It hear you or not..In scriptures of any Holy Book, how is God defined.

Feared, and often portrayed as hating and damning all who do not worship him/her/whatever everyday.
But I trully think that "God" is defined by your own personal beliefs, and should not be influenced by what someone said thousands of years ago.....

Yes, God can hear you... He listens.
But, just because He listens doesn't mean you're going to get everything you want. Ya know how at one point all parents have to look at their 2 year old and say "Don't put that in your mouth"... Well, they might say that because it's been on the floor, or it's plastic.... They have a good reason for telling the kid not to stick the thing in it's mouth, right? Well, God has certain reasons for not answering prayers. He has a reason for everything, because, He knows the big picture. See?

Ah......

What is the reason God allows children to be abducted, molested, and murdered? When he hears the prayers of one of these children, does He respond, "I am listening to your prayer but you cannot have everything you want. I have a bigger picture to consider here and you are just being selfish,"?

I sympathize with what you think God is...You think he should rescue you. Wouldn't it be great if He did..Yea if he did wouldn't everyone believe in Him? Wouldn't that be the Trump card? Wouldn't everyone convert? it's a much bigger picture than this. Though I can not define Him/her/It , You have to look at the fact , maybe M-theory and faith.

Exactly. Say a child was molested or something and they prayed 'Get me through this hard time!' But he didn't make it any easier for them, is that loving? No.

I don't know if God cares, but he certainly isn't fair.

It doesn't work likd that.

yeah cause there really aint no answer to it so you all shy away form questions like that, with god works in mysterious ways, and those who suffer will get a better life in heaven and so on.......

For one, you and people in general, regard life on earth differently from how God does. You know of life in death as the extent of it. Where as God knows that death on earth is not the ending itself but the ending of a phase. When man dies in the body, the body that is cursed in sin that passes away. Ones who inherit salvation, will be given a new and untained body. God doesnt promise to save you from all that is bad in the world but it is also made clear that the body here on earth is just temporary. God will not step in and stop every bad thing from happening, thats not the way he wants it. God did not put sin into man, man sinned onto God. You are not by yourself, entitled to anything. It is by the grace of God that you have.

So maybe God saves their life then (though they will die anyway eventually) or maybe he doesnt, it is still only one phase of existence and it is the one that will surely pass away. It has to be understood in a different context than what the average person sees.

Well that's not nice!

Life may not be such a big deal to God, but to us it is. We can just assume we're going to go through a different 'phase' after we die without proof.

God could stop those things and make everybody happy if he wanted to. But for some strange reason he wont.

Who comes first? Man or God? God loves man so much that he sent his only begotten son to taste death for all. So that man can inherit salvation and have a glorious destiny. You think those actions are, not nice? I completely disagree with you. As to assuming it is this way, well thats why you get to make your choice. You can either believe or disbelieve but that responsibility rests on you. God wants us to have faith in him, to obey him and trust in him. But God allows us to do the opposite aswell, that is free will.

Remember that Jesus himself, suffered a horrible death. If bad can happen to the son, how can you question how it can happen to others? These are the actions of the wicked, God allows them to exist for now. This world is tainted. However, by the grace of God you have the chance at someday spending eternity with him. Man will be exalted over all other creation, including the angels.

Back to the subject of right here and now though. If God wanted to stop all bad from happening, he could. But then he would be forcing people to do his will, essentially having robots. That is not what he wanted though. He made man in his likeness, with the ability to either follow him or not. To love him is by choice, not by force. So understand that the bad things that happen, are not the result of God. They are the result of Mans bad choice(s). But choices that must exist.

The Bible is CERTAINLY NOT the word of God - God would never be so limited and small-minded as depicted in the Bible - the Bible was written by incompetent human minds.

This is what God is:

The absolute of being, God comprises all of existence and thus he controls all processes within being via absolute intellect.

You somewhat remind me of this former poster philo. In which way is God limited or small-minded as depicted in the bible?

The bible has a limited view on God, because it depicts God as human-like and out of control and judgemental.

So God allows a child is abducted, molested, and murdered because that is the way he wants it? An innocent child that prays to God for protection is not entitled to anything? How omnibenevolent.





If God wanted to stop a child from being abducted, molested, and murdered he could, he simply chooses not to. The Bible is filled with incidents in which God interferes with free will and manipulates human events.

^ The Bible is filled with incidents in which God interferes, but there are many times He does not. People lose their faith in God because they expect Him to do what He never said He would. God would rather have you take what has happened to you and use it to heal the world.

How is God defined in the Quran??

Wait a minute, the bible clearly states that people are not entitled to anything. Life itself is a gift. Children do get abducted, there are a lot of bad things in the world. God's promise is salvation, not ultimate protection on earth. The truth about life on earth is that it must end. Just as God allows evil (the opposite of his will) he allows good.




God can interfer, Im not saying he cant. What I said was that there is no guarantee. If you only look at the bad, you will never see the good. God permits both. Thats not, non omnibenevolent. God hates sin and he still made it so that people can be saved. People want to only look in the shorter term and ask why but if you look at the bigger picture, what really matters is revealed.

Fear.

Yes.... Thats exactly what it is. That doesnt mean in this body though.
Salvation is from ultimate desctruction and a promise of great things to coem.



Oh please. As if that is what I said. Bad things are bound to happen, so long as evil exists. For a time, God will allow it. Allowing people to decide for themselves whether they want to follow or not. There is no promise of protection in a body ultimately bound for death. Rather, there is a promise of a new life and perfect life. That is the bigger picture, you keep talking about something short term. Im talking long term. No need to misrepresent what it is that I said.

Yes, you have to look at the larger picture. Not just our minute little lives that live in the moment.

"I am sorry that you have been abducted, and will soon be molested and murdered, but bad things are bound to happen so long as I allow evil to exist in the world. Certainly, I could intervene on your behalf, but I never promised you protection of your physical body. What would be the point? Your physical body is bound for death anyway. In any case, I realize that this is a terrible experience for you but that is because you are focusing too much on the short term. Try looking at the bigger picture."

As ive already mentioned, life in itself is a gift. You act as if life is something that is deserved. It isnt. Fact remains, if you are suggesting that God take away all those kinds of wrongdoings, you are suggesting that he takes away sin. You are suggesting therefore that he control everyones actions. Thats not what he wants, he didnt want to create robots. The reality of the situation is that bad things can happen. It sucks but thats just how it is. It happend to most of the apostles and it happend to Jesus himself. If it can happen to Jesus, it can happen to anybody. Thats what happens when people disobey him and specifically why he warns against it.

Esoteric/mystical schools of thought will all tell you the same thing: God is ineffable. Any "defined God" (even to call "Him" ineffable) is not God. The best we can do is hint, use metaphor, as long as it is remembered that it is just a hint and not to be taken beyond what the metaphor was originally used for.

Originally posted by Adam_PoE
What is the reason God allows children to be abducted, molested, and murdered? When he hears the prayers of one of these children, does He respond, "I am listening to your prayer but you cannot have everything you want. I have a bigger picture to consider here and you are just being selfish,"?

This has always been the toughest thing for me to grasp. And the best way for me to get through it (emotionally) has been to posit the following...
The murderer will be a child victim in the next life, just as the child victim was the murderer in a previous life.
I am Not saying--in any way, shape or form--that this is what I believe. The above just helps me, personally, to deal with how suffering deliberately inflicted on a child makes me feel.

Whoo you brought an old thread up...

You must believe in Karma then maybe? And this would make more since as a learning experience with really no condemnation from any deity. It would be taking responsibility for your own actions. If more people did believe in this way, we'd not have the wrongs we have today against each other....Maybe this is what Jesus meant by "you reap what you sow." ..You reap in the next life what you sowed in this one.

Originally posted by debbiejo
You must believe in Karma then maybe? And this would make more since as a learning experience with really no condemnation from any deity. It would be taking responsibility for your own actions. If more people did believe in this way, we'd not have the wrongs we have today against each other....Maybe this is what Jesus meant by "you reap what you sow." ..You reap in the next life what you sowed in this one.

It certainly would make more sense...but I just don't know, I wouldn't even begin to pretend to know if this is how it works. All I know is, when they show the faces of the young smiling victims on tv, it just kills me.

And while I'm on this: I also can't stand how the media plays with these stories (is nothing forking sacred?!?). Eg, they always say "Little" before the girl's name, just in case the viewing public's heartstrings are being yanked enough. And why always highlight the cases involving cute white females? Let's see some ugly, old, nonwhite male's case being given the same attention...or will that not rake in the Almight Ratings as well?

Originally posted by debbiejo
How is God defined in scripture (Bible) and other religions books.
Is He loving,feared, takes sides, trustworthy,...who is He. What is It/He/She? Does It hear you or not..In scriptures of any Holy Book, how is God defined.

There are 3 basic concepts for GOD/gods from what I know so don't quote me on them

Pantheistic: The belief that the universe is a divine animal GOD and we are all one.

Monotheistic: The belief in one GOd/Goddess that created the universe.

Polytheistic: The belief in many Gods and Goddesses took part in creation.

Originally posted by Blue nocturne
There are 3 basic concepts for GOD/gods from what I know so don't quote me on them

Pantheistic: The belief that the universe is a divine animal GOD and we are all one.

Monotheistic: The belief in one GOd/Goddess that created the universe.

Polytheistic: The belief in many Gods and Goddesses took part in creation.

Pantheistic is close to how I believe. However, it is imposable to understand God, so that too is wrong.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Pantheistic is close to how I believe. However, it is imposable to understand God, so that too is wrong.

Me too

Thrice is nice..........

Actually: pantheism identifies God with the physical/observable universe. He is immanent in all things but not transcendent. This is often confused with animism, where "spirits" (small "s" and plural) inhabit all things physical: a spirit for each item/set of items, as opposed to one, all-inclusive immanent Spirit.

Regardless, pantheism contrasts with Deism (not Theism), where after creating the physical/observable universe, God is no longer involved with it, letting it run on its own. He is transcendent, but not immanent.

(Theism: God created the universe, is separate from it, but still has a hand in things.)

Originally posted by Mindship
Actually: pantheism identifies God with the physical/observable universe. He is immanent in all things but not transcendent. This is often confused with animism, where "spirits" (small "s" and plural) inhabit all things physical: a spirit for each item/set of items, as opposed to one, all-inclusive immanent Spirit.

Regardless, pantheism contrasts with Deism (not Theism), where after creating the physical/observable universe, God is no longer involved with it, letting it run on its own. He is transcendent, but not immanent.

(Theism: God created the universe, is separate from it, but still has a hand in things.)

That's what I said I simply called the universe a divine animal implying that it is GOD or a being or creature...Sorry if my wording made the definition seem wrong.

Originally posted by Blue nocturne
That's what I said I simply called the universe a divine animal implying that it is GOD or a being or creature...Sorry if my wording made the definition seem wrong.

No problemo. Thanks for the clarification.

Originally posted by Mindship
...This is often confused with animism, where "spirits" (small "s" and plural) inhabit all things physical: a spirit for each item/set of items,...

Interesting; I don't call them spirits, I call them entities.

My biggest question is this in regards to how god is defined..............in most religions isn't "god" a he?

Originally posted by soleran30
My biggest question is this in regards to how god is defined..............in most religions isn't "god" a he?

There so many religions it's hard and also in pantheistic POV GOD is both masculine and feminine like yin and yang...

Originally posted by soleran30
My biggest question is this in regards to how god is defined..............in most religions isn't "god" a he?

No. I can only speak from my own. In Nichiren Buddhism, God is not even called God. The closest thing to God is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and that is just the essence of the Lotus Sutra. I guess God could be called "the Buddha that was enlightened in the remote past", but that is just an interpretation.

Originally posted by debbiejo
How is God defined in scripture (Bible) and other religions books.
Is He loving,feared, takes sides, trustworthy,...who is He. What is It/He/She? Does It hear you or not..In scriptures of any Holy Book, how is God defined.

Well IMO "God"-would of course have three different "images" (the Tirnitarian belief)

God-Is portrayed as the loving, yet disciplining, careing father. Quick to reward, but just as quick to punish.

Jesus-Love (the actual manifestation) from which he is portrayed as Brother/Mediator/dearest friend. Like the ideal older brother that cares and watches over you.

Holy Spirit-Mediator (or throw my eyes) Voice of God; thought of God; God's will made into some easier way of convience. From this I take this to be short or long term "enlightenments"; the old "light-bulb" turning on so to speak.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
No. I can only speak from my own. In Nichiren Buddhism, God is not even called God. The closest thing to God is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and that is just the essence of the Lotus Sutra. I guess God could be called "the Buddha that was enlightened in the remote past", but that is just an interpretation.

wow I was just going to make a really bad joke so now no more! Anyway Shaky I have a very common belief system with you so just keep talking so I don't have to